Important Questions About Blood Tests in Sacramento
When was the last time you truly understood your blood test results — not just heard “everything looks normal”? At Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center in Sacramento, CA, we believe patients deserve meaningful answers, not just reassurance. These questions will help you evaluate whether the blood testing you’ve been receiving is actually serving your health. Call (916) 446-2591 to schedule your comprehensive functional blood test evaluation.
FREE 15 Minute ApptAsk Yourself These 10 Questions About Your Blood Tests
The quality of your blood testing and how your results are interpreted can make an enormous difference in your health outcomes. Here are the critical questions every patient should be asking:
- When was your last blood test? Regular testing is essential — not just when something is wrong, but as a proactive tool for optimizing your health and catching emerging issues early.
- How many items were on that test? A standard annual blood panel from a conventional doctor may include only 10–15 markers. Dr. Godby’s Adult Panel includes 19+ markers evaluated against optimal ranges; his Elite Panels include 30+ advanced markers.
- How long did your doctor spend with you explaining the results? At Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center, every blood panel result is reviewed in full with you by one of our naturopathic doctors — not handed over in a portal with no explanation.
- Did your doctor use the standard wide reference range — where almost everybody looks healthy — or the much tighter “optimal” range? Standard reference ranges are designed to identify disease, not optimize health. Optimal ranges reflect the values associated with true vitality — and they often catch important imbalances that standard ranges miss entirely.
- Were the blood tests used to: a) help prevent disease? b) help optimize your health? c) educate you about lifestyle changes? At Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center, the answer to all three should be yes.
- Is your doctor a medical “detective,” trying to find the cause(s) of your dis-ease? Our naturopathic doctors take the time to find patterns and connections in your results — not just check whether each marker falls within a wide “normal” band.
- Is your doctor trained in both conventional and naturopathic/functional medicine? The dual training of a naturopathic doctor gives them unique tools to interpret your labs through both a conventional disease-prevention lens and a functional health optimization lens.
- Did your doctor give you a copy of your blood test and encourage you to understand key components? We believe in patient education. At Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center, you receive a detailed OptimalDX software report that makes your results understandable and actionable.
- Did your doctor order a Vitamin D 25-OH test for you — and what ranges did they use? Standard ranges often accept Vitamin D levels as low as 20 ng/mL. At Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center, we target an optimal disease-preventing range of 60–80 ng/mL for most patients.
- What are your goals — to merely avoid a disease, or to be as healthy and energetic as you can be? If your answer is the latter, you need more than standard medicine’s minimum threshold approach. You need functional, optimal-range blood testing.
Why These Questions Matter
It is not possible to overemphasize how critical regular, comprehensive blood testing is for long-term health. Dr. Godby recalls a patient who came in shortly after going blind and entering heart failure from undiagnosed diabetes — because she had been avoiding doctors for eight years and didn’t know she had the condition. Not only are naturopathic doctors trained to spot actual disease from blood tests — they are also uniquely qualified to identify the patterns of emerging disease and design specific programs of intervention before that disease takes hold.
Is your health and energy important enough to be evaluated by one of Sacramento, CA‘s natural medicine and blood chemistry experts? Call (916) 446-2591 to schedule your comprehensive blood test evaluation at Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center, or visit our Blood Test Panels & Pricing page to see our available panels.
Frequently Asked Questions About Blood Testing at Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center
Why are naturopathic blood tests different from standard blood tests?
The key difference is how results are interpreted. At Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center, Dr. Godby uses OptimalDX software to evaluate your blood work against optimal health ranges — not just the broad reference ranges that only identify frank disease. This allows us to identify meaningful imbalances and trends years before they would show up as “abnormal” on standard labs, creating opportunities for early intervention and true health optimization.
What is the difference between a reference range and an optimal range?
Standard reference ranges are calculated from large population averages and are designed to include approximately 95% of the population — including many people who are far from optimally healthy. Optimal ranges are tighter values associated with actual health, vitality, and disease prevention. A Vitamin D level of 22 ng/mL is “normal” by standard reference ranges — but our optimal target is 60–80 ng/mL. The difference matters enormously for long-term health outcomes. Learn more on our Blood Tests: Reference Range vs. Optimal Range page.
How often should I get a comprehensive blood test?
Most healthy adults benefit from at least annual comprehensive blood testing. Patients managing chronic conditions, on medications, or pursuing specific health goals may benefit from testing every 3–6 months to track progress and adjust their treatment plan. Your naturopathic doctor at Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center will recommend the most appropriate testing frequency for your individual situation.
What markers does Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center test that conventional doctors typically don’t?
Our Elite Panels include advanced markers that are rarely ordered in standard annual physicals, including Reverse T3 (thyroid), RBC Magnesium, Homocysteine, Lipoprotein(a), advanced lipid particle analysis, sex hormones (testosterone, DHEA-S, estradiol), inflammatory markers, and more. These provide a far more complete picture of cardiovascular risk, hormonal health, metabolic function, and systemic inflammation.
Can blood testing help me improve my energy, mood, and overall wellbeing?
Absolutely. Many of the most common complaints patients bring to Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center — fatigue, brain fog, low mood, poor sleep, weight gain — have identifiable biochemical causes that show up in functional blood testing. By identifying and correcting these imbalances through targeted nutrition, supplements, and naturopathic therapies, many patients experience dramatic improvements in energy and overall wellbeing.
How do I get started with comprehensive blood testing at Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center?
Call (916) 446-2591 to schedule a consultation with one of our naturopathic doctors. We’ll review your health history, symptoms, and goals to recommend the most appropriate panel for you. Visit our Blood Test Panels & Pricing page for details on available panels and pricing.
Do I need to fast before my blood test at Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center?
Yes. Most of our blood panels require a 12-hour fast before your blood draw for accurate results — particularly for glucose, insulin, and lipid markers. Please drink water as normal. Specific preparation instructions will be provided when you schedule your appointment. Call (916) 446-2591 with any questions.